Hold On
by leytonnaleybrulian
Summary: AU: The Stark family was perfect in everyway until one day Sansa is kidnapped.


Jon's POV

I walked into my empty kitchen it was nearly eleven pm. I was irritated my parents forgot to pick me up from practice. It was dark and silent. It was strange hearing the house so quiet. I have so many siblings that the house is usually really loud. I put my soccer bag down and picked up the phone to dial my father and stepmother. She didn't pick up and neither did he. There was a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I walked up the stairs and into my room that I shared with my brother Robb. There was no sign of him. I checked my little brothers room and then my sisters. The house really was empty. They would've called me if they went out to dinner or something. I checked my watch again as I felt sweaty and nervous. I picked up the phone and dialed Robb's number and then my little sister Sansa. The other kids were too young to have a phone. After nearly an hour of panic I heard the front door open.

"Father?" I called as I approached the doorway.

That's when I saw my father standing in front of me. There were tears stained all over his face. I never saw this man get emotional in my life but here he was crying. It terrified me. My family walked in behind him. They were all distraught. All except Cat, my step mother and Sansa who wasn't there.

"Jon." My little sister Arya cried and ran into my arms. She gripped me tightly.

I held her in my arms and looked at my father. "What happened." I rubbed her back as she sobbed.

Ned paused before looking me in the eyes. "She's gone. Cat's gone and someone's taken Sansa." He fell to his knees in tears.

I couldn't fathom this pain I felt. I wanted to break down and lose it. I wanted to kill whoever kidnapped my thirteen year old sister. I wanted justice for my step mother. I knew I had to be strong for Robb, Arya, Bran, Rickon, for dad and to help find my sister.

The days and nights following that tragic night were insufferable. I took care of my siblings as my family grieved for Cat and searched for Sansa. The whole town was searching for her. I had felt some guilt over this after learning Cat and Sansa were car jacked on the way to pick me up. The man slit her throat and took Sansa with no trace. The cops think he was preying on Sansa and possibly stalking her for awhile. We were all too busy to notice a thing and knowing that gave me the strength to do better. I would never let this happen again and I would never give up on my sister.

Eventually the search parties stopped and the police told us the case was cold. We were heartbroken at the thought of never seeing her again after six months of searching there was nothing we could do. I begged the police to listen to me and keep looking into people in the neighborhood after Arya told me she saw a man watching her and Sansa at the pool one day. The cops added it to the file and told us it wasn't going to open the case again. They didn't want to listen to the advice of a six year old.

I was angry for months but I saw to let go so I could take care of my siblings. Our father was getting drunk every night to numb the pain. He was broken inside after losing Cat and Sansa. Robb was getting into fights at school which I didn't blame him for since I knew he was angry too. Arya never wanted to admit how much she admired her big sister but she did. She's been depressed since losing them. Arya was also close with our father and his drunken mess was affecting her. Bran and Rickon used to be balls of energy but now they don't even go outside and play anymore. I do my best to make sure everyone's fed and taken care of. I tried not to let my brain think about the losses we suffered.

* * *

I made breakfast for my family. "Guys! Breakfast!" I yelled gaining their attention.

Once everyone arrived we started eating. I looked over at the empty seats waiting for someone to address that it was officially one year since the worst night of our lives but no one did. I watched as everyone seemed normal and like they didn't know what today was. I knew they had to but we were too fragile to talk about it.

My dad looked at me groggily. "Listen up guys." We all got quiet to listen to what he had to say. "I'm going on a hunting trip with some work buddies for a few days. I'm leaving at noon." He explained to all of us.

I was hoping he would talk about Cat and Sansa. That he would tell us to be strong. He didn't.

I loaded everyone in the car and we all got to school but by the time we came home there was a note on the table.

_"My dearest Jon,_

_This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do.__This year has been caused all of us so much pain. Losing Cat broke my heart but the hope for Sansa kept me fighting to stay myself. That hope is fading each day. __I know it in my heart that I will never see my little girl again. This pain is unbearable. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough Jon. You always assumed you got your strength from me but you got your strength from yourself. I love you all and I'm sorry for this but you are all better off if I disappear. I trust you to look after your siblings. I know you'll do a better job than I have because you've been doing it for a year now. Please don't try and find me. I'm never coming back. I left you money and everything you need. I'm sorry it has to be this way. I love you son._

After my father left us it was rough. Robb and I were angry that he didn't consider how difficult he made things for the younger kids. Arya was convinced that everyone was leaving her because something was wrong with her. Bran thought he made dad leave from always asking him to talk about his mom. Rickon cried and cried every night for dad. These kids were strong and I knew I was able to handle this responsibility of raising them. Robb helped out more once dad left. He didn't want to be anything like him.

* * *

Another year passes and I stand in the living room surrounded by my siblings. We were celebrating Arya's thirteenth birthday with cake and family. It's been a hell of a two years but things have finally been getting back on track to being great. I turned eighteen and I started senior year. I got papers for guardianship for my siblings. It was a long process but we finally have stability. My siblings trust that things will be safe and that we will never be separated. It took a lot of therapy to get there. Robb is seventeen, he got his license and a part time job. He's keeping his grades up for junior year. Arya took the longest time to set her straight. She was getting bad grades and mouthing off or crying or fighting. She spent most of the year mad at everything. Once I got custody she realized I was going to be there for her no matter what. It wasn't over night but her grades improved and so did her attitude. Bran is back to being that little kid that has kept us on our toes for years. Rickon stopped wetting the bed and crying every night. We all still hurt over what we lost but we won't let it break us. We're all happy and okay. We built a family out of broken pieces.

I placed the cake with thirteen candles onto the table in front of my sister as we sang happy birthday. "I love you kid." I said as I kissed her head.

Arya smiled. "I know exactly what to wish for." She closed her eyes and blew the candles out.

Ricken reached for frosting and Bran smacked his hand away. "We gotta wait!" Bran insisted.

Arya placed her finger into the icing and rubbed it on to Bran's nose. "Ha." She snickered.

Robb and I laughed at them having an icing battle. Robb goes to join in as we hear the doorbell ring. "I'll go get it." I smiled at the sight of them.

"Hurry back!" Robb shouted.

I walked over to the door and opened it.

"Jon."


End file.
